Wire rope



(No Model.)

E. B. BIRD. vWIRE RGPB, BAND, 0R GABLB.

Patentd May 27, 1890.

TME Norms paens cn, snmmun., msnm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

EDVARD E. BIRD, OF 2S IIONEYVELL ROAD, VANDSVORTH COMMON COUNTY OF SURREY, ENGLAND.'

WIRE ROPE, BAND, OR CABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 429,005, dated May 27, 1890. Application filed January 16, 1890. Serial No. 337,140. (No model.) Patented in England February l2, 1889, No. 2,464.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD ERsKINE BIRD, a citizen of England, residing at 28 Honeywell Road, lVandsworth Common, in the county of Surrey, England, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Vire Ropes, Bands, or Cables, (for which I have obtained Letters Patent in Great Britain, dated February l2, 1889, No. 2,46%) of which the following is a specification.

Hitherto wire ropes, bands, or cables have been made with the main cores either cylin drical or as nearly cylindrical as possible, and the finished rope, band,or cable has also been either cylindrical or as nearly so as is possible consistent with its being made up of a number of separate wires, strands, or ropes.

The objects of myinvention are to improve the prior construction of wire cables, to provide a wire cable with a novel core, to provide a novel wire cable which is elliptical or oblong in cross-section, and to provide a novel wire cable which is elliptical or oblong in cross-section and wherein the major diameter of the cable is in one and the same plane throughout its length. To accomplish these objects my invention involves the features of construction and the combination or arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure I is a detail side view of a portion of one form of core. Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail side View of a portion of another form of core. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the same. Fi 5 is a cr0ss-seotional View of a wire cable embodying my invention. Fig. G is a similar View showing another type of wire cable elnbodying my invention. Fig. 7 is a similar view of another form of cable embodying my invention.

In order to enable those skilled in the'. art to make and use my invention, I will now describe the same in detail, referring iirst to Figs. 1 and 2, wherein- The letters @indicate two core-strands, each composed of a single wire and one laid beside the other and tied together by a filament b of wire, hemp, or other suitable material wound spirally around the two strands, with the coils in close contact with each other, thereby producing a core which is substantially flattened a fixed ring or collar, the interior of which is of the same section as the core which has to pass through it, and into which ring or collar the core j'ust fits, and a few inches in front of this fixed ring or collar I mounta pair ot metal rollers, one above the other, and, with their axes parallel to the major diameter of the ring or collar. These rollers are capable of adjustment so that they squeeze the elliptical core and tend to 'Iia'tten it as it passes between them.

The object of passing the core through the tube or through the ring or collar and between the rollers is to correct and remove any tendency that may have arisen in the manufacturing of it for the major diameter of the core to assume at ditferentplaces through its length Various positions at angles to one another, and to insure that the major diameter of the core shall be in one plane throughout its entire length. I then lay or twist the ropes, strands, or wires to form the finished rope, band, or cable round the elliptical or oblong core to the shape of which they conform, thus producing a rope, band, or cable of an elliptical or oblong shape, (more or less flattened) or as nearly so as is consistent with its being made of a number of wires, strands, or ropes laid or twisted round a core.

Instead of constructing the core-strands of two single wires a, as in Figs. I and 2, each core-strand may be composed-of a plurality ot' wires spirally twisted together in any direction, as at a', Figs. 3 and et, such core` strands (two or more) being placed side by side and tied together by the wire, hemp, or other filament l) wound spirally thereupon.

The individual wires may be of any form in cross-section suitable for the conditions required, and the core-coveringwires to producethe cable may be spirally twisted upon the core in one or several successive layers.

In Fig. 5 a cable is exhibited wherein the core A is made, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, with three successive layers of covering-wires B.

IOO

In Fig. G a cable is exhibited wherein the core A is made as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, upon which are spirally-twisted strands B, each composed of several spirally-twisted wires.

In Fig? the cable is made up of several spirally-wound strands B2, each composed of a core A, made as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and having asingle layer of spiral coveringwires- In this construction the maj or diameter of the cores A and the maj or diameter of the strands B are so placed that in the finished cable they all lie in parallel planes, and this parallel position of the planes is maintained throughout the length of the cable or rope.

By my invention I provide a cable or rope of elliptical or fiattened section, the component parts of which are laid or twisted together without any sewing or connecting wires, and which shall, when bent across the plane of its major diameter, have a greater amount of flexibility in comparison with its strength than it the rope were circular in section and from the fact that the free rope will naturally bend in the direction of greatest flexibility to obviate the tendency to revolve on its axis, which is exhibited by an ordinary round rope.

Having thus described the nature of my invention and the best means Iknow forcarrying the same into practical effect, I claiml. A wire cable elliptical in cross-section and having an internal core composed of corestrands arranged side by side and a filament spirally wound round and tying the corestrands together, substantially as described.

2. A wire cable elliptical in cross-section and composed of core-strands arranged side by side, a filament spirally wound round the core-strands with the coils in close contact, and wires spirally wound upon the filament, substantially as described.

3. A wire cable of approximately elliptical cross-section, having its major diameter in one and the same plane throughout its length, said cable consisting of core-strands arranged side by side, a filament spirally wound round the core-strands, and wires wound upon the filament, substantially as described and shown.

A rope, cable, or band of elliptical or oblong transverse section, composed of a core of elliptical or oblong transverse section round which are laid or twisted a number of wires, strands of wires, or ropes, the major diameter of the rope being in 011e and the same plane throughout its length, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 27th day of November, A. D. 1889.

EDWD. E. BIRD.

Witnesses:

CHAs. D. ABEL, Patent Agent, 28 Southmnpton Buildings,

London, W. C'.

J No. I. M. MILLARD, Clerk to llessrs. Abel d5; Luray, Consulting Engineers and .Patent Agents, 2S Soul/1fdmpton Buildings, London, l/V. C. 

